News / Local
Tsvangirai endorse Gift Banda as party's chairperson
16 Aug 2015 at 09:18hrs | Views
THE leader of the MDC-T, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday endorsed Councillor Gift Banda as the party's Bulawayo provincial chairperson, amid bickering by supporters of his rival for the post, Senator Matson Hlalo.
The endorsement of Cllr Banda who is also the city's deputy mayor was met with resistance by the party's members aligned to Senator Hlalo with the decision further widening fissures of factionalism in the party, which has already lost most of its top hierarchy over the last two years.
Party supporters believed to be aligned to Senator Hlalo vented their displeasure at the decision by spray-painting graffiti denigrating Cllr Banda and MDC-T deputy president, Ms Thokozani Khupe on the wall at the party's office.
Part of the graffiti read: "uBanda lisela, Mafikizolo, Hlalo is our Chair", with some of it having obscene undertones.
In a bid to justify his decision of "hand picking" Cllr Banda to the helm of the province's top post, Mr Tsvangirai said the decision was reached after considering that the controversial City Father had been a member of the party since 2004, which most members are vehemently disapproving citing that he was a new entrant.
"I consulted former party member Esaph Mdlongwa, who said Gift Banda has been a member since 2004. I know most of you have been saying he does not qualify for the provincial leadership, but I believe he has been a bonafide party member. I therefore endorse him as the provincial chairperson," he said.
The beleaguered opposition leader also gave Senator Hlalo an ultimatum to withdraw his case from the courts or risk expulsion from the party.
Sen Hlalo accused Banda of rigging elections and the matter was thrown into the courts.
Mr Tsvangirai, however, admitted to having divisions within the party, and called on party members not fast-track the MDC-T Congress that is being called for by members aligned to the Hlalo camp.
"If Hlalo does not withdraw his case from court, he is set for a bleak future within the party because he did not follow procedure and denigrated the party. There is too much division within the party and we cannot focus on the 2019 party congress as is being suggested by some party members," he said.
Although clueless on how the party would solve the internal fighting in the Bulawayo province, Mr Tsvangirai said party members had been irresponsible in their conduct, denouncing party leaders aligned to Sen Hlalo.
"We are irresponsible in our conduct and we have not changed our culture. There is a lot of violence that is taking place within the party. Party leaders are busy undermining themselves within the party and we are opening ourselves to self-destruction," he said.
The endorsement of Cllr Banda who is also the city's deputy mayor was met with resistance by the party's members aligned to Senator Hlalo with the decision further widening fissures of factionalism in the party, which has already lost most of its top hierarchy over the last two years.
Party supporters believed to be aligned to Senator Hlalo vented their displeasure at the decision by spray-painting graffiti denigrating Cllr Banda and MDC-T deputy president, Ms Thokozani Khupe on the wall at the party's office.
Part of the graffiti read: "uBanda lisela, Mafikizolo, Hlalo is our Chair", with some of it having obscene undertones.
In a bid to justify his decision of "hand picking" Cllr Banda to the helm of the province's top post, Mr Tsvangirai said the decision was reached after considering that the controversial City Father had been a member of the party since 2004, which most members are vehemently disapproving citing that he was a new entrant.
"I consulted former party member Esaph Mdlongwa, who said Gift Banda has been a member since 2004. I know most of you have been saying he does not qualify for the provincial leadership, but I believe he has been a bonafide party member. I therefore endorse him as the provincial chairperson," he said.
Sen Hlalo accused Banda of rigging elections and the matter was thrown into the courts.
Mr Tsvangirai, however, admitted to having divisions within the party, and called on party members not fast-track the MDC-T Congress that is being called for by members aligned to the Hlalo camp.
"If Hlalo does not withdraw his case from court, he is set for a bleak future within the party because he did not follow procedure and denigrated the party. There is too much division within the party and we cannot focus on the 2019 party congress as is being suggested by some party members," he said.
Although clueless on how the party would solve the internal fighting in the Bulawayo province, Mr Tsvangirai said party members had been irresponsible in their conduct, denouncing party leaders aligned to Sen Hlalo.
"We are irresponsible in our conduct and we have not changed our culture. There is a lot of violence that is taking place within the party. Party leaders are busy undermining themselves within the party and we are opening ourselves to self-destruction," he said.
Source - sundaynews
